Cécile: Gates of Gold

Versailles, France – 1711
Author Mary Casanova
Illustrator Jean-Paul Tibbles
Originally Published © 2002 Pleasant Company
ISBN 1584855185
 

Runaway Horse

Cécile is walking back home through the meadows just outside of her village, Rileaux, when the earth begins to shake. Instinctively, she drops her basket of mushrooms, and she falls to the ground. Soon, she sees a pack of dogs following a trail through the meadow, shortly followed by hunters on horseback. She realized the hunters are from the nearest estate, Marly, of the Sun King, King Louis XIV. They still wear black, most likely due to being in mourning for the King’s late son, the dauphin.

The pack of dogs reminds her of the dogs that became pets, before becoming dinner when the frosty winter of 1709 killed many peasants across France. If the weather hadn’t been so cold, and they weren’t so poor, perhaps Cécile’s mother could’ve survived her pneumonia. But alas, her mother died in that winter. And after the winter, a famine ravaged the country. Even now, Cécile and her father still struggle to feed themselves.

But if Cécile lived in a palace like those hunters, she’d never be hungry again. She’d wear the finest dresses; a new one every day of the year! She’d ride in a gilded coach each day, and dance the night away to candlelight.

When Cécile stands up, brushing dirt from her skirts, she sees a brown horse poking around her fallen mushroom basket. She knows she needs those for dinner. Slowly, she turns around and backs up closer and closer to the horse. She doesn’t want to scare him off.

At last, she feels him nuzzle her palm. Cécile turns around, but a moment later, she hears a woman calling for help.

 

An Unexpected Reward

Cécile follows the woman’s moans until she sees a stout woman laying on the ground in a muddy ravine. The woman looks to be about the age of a grandmother, and was clearly riding with the King’s hunters. The fabric of the woman’s left shoulder is ripped, and her shoulder is protruding awkwardly. Cécile knows her father, a medic who heals anybody who needs help, can assist her.

Cécile ties up the horse, and hurries her way back to her thatched hut. Her father nods along while Cécile explains the situation, and then stands up to wash his hands. Cécile insists the woman doesn’t care what he looks like, but he explains “It is better for her health if my hands are clean.”

Cécile leads her father back to the woman, who hasn’t moved from the ground. He inspects her shoulder, arm, and neck, before determining her arm has been pulled out of its socket. He instructs Cécile to help him hold her shoulders down while he pops her arm back in.

A few minutes later, the woman feels well enough to begin to sit up, claiming he worked a miracle. She explains she is not the queen, who is dead, nor is she the King’s “secret” wife, Madame de Maintenon. She is Elisabeth Charlotte of Germany, la Duchesse d’Orléans, sister-in-law to the Sun King, and known as “Madame.”

Cécile explains she’s learned how to calm animals from her father, Monsieur Revel. Madame eyes Cécile’s father, and asks what he’d like for a reward for their assistance. After a few moments, he slowly says that he simply would like to spare his daughter a peasant’s future, and he’d like her to have a position at court.

To her surprise, Madame accepts his offer, stating that she needs a new servant to help take care of her six dogs. Although Cécile doesn’t want to travel to court, as she doesn’t want to leave her father alone—his cough is continuing to worsen. But Cécile knows that girls her age don’t have the power to choose their own future.

 

A Warning

Cécile trudges behind Madame’s horse for hours until they reach Marly. They’re greeted by the Sun King himself, who chuckles at Madame’s tale. And then without a word. Cécile is left alone, unsure where to go.

A young woman comes forward and introduces herself as Françoise. She says Madame asked her to look after Cécile. She walks her through the elegant palace, down hallways filled with statues, paintings, mirrors, and tapestries. Then, Françoise leads Cécile into a room with a tub of steaming water. They command Cécile to undress, and tell her that it’s good to take a bath every so often.

And then, suddenly the maids go quiet. A stern woman dressed in all black enters the room. She explains she is Madame de Maintenon. She warns Cécile that she knows Madame lied about Cécile having royal blood, and that if Cécile tries anything, she will be found out. And then, she leaves as swiftly as she arrived.

The next morning, Françoise wakes Cécile up in a hurry. She explains they made Cécile a new dress last night, and it fits almost perfectly. It is a dusty green with a tiny waist and tufted sleeves. Françoise explains they are leaving for Versailles that morning.

The girls watch the royal family walk to their carriages. They watch the Sun King, followed by Madame de Maintenon. Then a young man and woman, who Françoise explains is Princess Marie-Adélaïde and her husband, le Duc de Bourgogne. And following them are their two sons, about ages five and two.

Watching the young royal family reminds Cécile of the heartbreaking goodbye she shared with her father. Cécile hadn’t gotten a chance to go back home, and her father only followed them as far as the edge of the meadow before he kissed her cheek and told her “You are my pride, Cécile. Be true to who you are.” Cécile wants to cry at that very moment, but she knows court isn’t the place to do so.

Then Madame steps forward. Cécile begins to follow, but Françoise pulls her back, whispering that Cécile must learn the etiquette of court, and part of that is waiting her turn or until she’s called for.

And then, a man comes up to them and explains Cécile’s presence is requested by Madame. Françoise leads Cécile to the carriage. When Cécile gets inside, Madame compliments how she carries herself, and states that although she may be overwhelmed already, Versailles will be so much more.

 

The Palace

In the carriage, Cécile is nervous to be herself around Madame and Françoise. What if she embarrasses herself? But Madame explains to Cécile must always tell the truth to her, and Madame will do the same to Cécile.

The ride to Versailles is much bumpier than Cécile had imagined. Multiple times she’s thrown from her seat, and she has to hold on when the driver of the carriage brings the horses to a gallop to move faster during heavy rain. But when everything stops quickly, Cécile, Françoise, and Madame inquire what happened.

The driver explains that two peasant children were playing in the mud in the road, and were trampled by the first carriage. He says the King is giving coins to the families. If only the parents had been watching their children.

Madame is saddened by the news, but the line of carriages moves on. But as they pass, Cécile sees the parents huddled around the bodies of their dead children. The image haunts Cécile’s mind. She knows the peasants don’t have governesses or ladies-in-waiting. Most likely the parents were working hard in the fields to pay the taxes to the King… the taxes that pay for the King’s fancy carriage. Were the lives of the children truly worth just a few coins?

As the carriage continues past a corner in a village, a woman stands outside screaming “Bread! We have no bread!” Madame responds to herself that hunger makes people crazy… but what can be done? But Cécile thinks to herself that Madam’s gold brooch could buy many loaves of bread to feed the hungry.

As the coach nears the palace, Cécile sees the rise of buildings. She mistakenly thinks the palace is a large building, but Françoise responds it’s just a stable. The true palace is much grander than she could imagine. Françoise explains over ten thousand people work in the palace, from nobility, to foreigners, to merchants. And the King likes to keep watch over the whole courtyard; he was threatened a lot as a child, and is very careful now.

As everybody leaves their carriages, there’s music unlike anything Cécile has ever heard—he likes to come and go with big, pompous ceremonies. Cécile can see the crowd’s elaborate clothing, with their low-cut gowns, lacy shirt cuffs, gold-trimmed frocks, and colorful feathers. But all she can see in her mind is the woman begging for bread and the two trampled peasant children.

 

Madame’s Dogs

Françoise leads Cécile through the hallways. They are filled with tapestries, paintings, statues, and elegant furniture. However, the air is warm, and is filled with the scents of strong perfume and putrid body odors. Cécile longs for fresh air. In addition, the hallways are filled with busy people—servants, soldiers, and courtiers. Cécile hopes she doesn’t get lost among all the people.

But at last, Françoise stops outside a set of large doors. She scratches her littlest fingernail, which is longer than the others, on the door, and then opens the doors into a room with blue drapes. Madame has opened the windows so the room is filled with fresh air and light.

Madame explains Cécile will always stand or sit on the floor in Madame’s presence, never in a chair. She motions for Françoise and Cécile to sit next to her so they can meet her dogs. The loyal dogs come over to sniff the girls. Françoise introduces Monsieur Titti, the oldest, Mademoiselle Minette, and the three Chars: Charmille, Charmion, and Charmonte. And lastly, Stabdille, who is the largest dog, and seems the most curious and intelligent.

As Madame finishes her letters, the dogs trot back to sit beside her. Madame complains that although she writes and seals all of her letters with wax, they’ll still be opened and read before mailed out, as if they fear Madame may be a threat.

 

Disaster

Cécile and Françoise take the dogs outside for a walk. Cécile watches as elaborately dressed ladies and gentlemen walk through the gardens. A series of large pools, called the Grand Canal, sits in the gardens. There’s gondolas, skiffs, and a small ship floating on it. There are large statues, flower beds, and shady groves of straight trees. There are many fountains as well, which have large statues in them.

Françoise explains that at one point, this area was a swamp, and the King used to come hunting there as a child. Now, he’s turned it into a grand palace, and Cécile realizes he makes it clear that he controls everything. She hopes she’ll never fall from the King’s favor.

Françoise has just pointed out the Orangerie, where the King gets his oranges, when Cécile looks down, and sees an empty collar. And running off, is Stabdille down the path, straight toward Madame de Maintenon and the Princess Marie-Adélaïde!

Cécile chases after the dog, and goes to grab him. At the same time, Madame de Maintenon is reaching for her grandson, who is misbehaving. And all of a sudden, in a tangle of arms and feet and legs and paws, the boy and the dog both fall into the fountain.

 

Doctor Fagon

Cécile leaps into the fountain after the dog. The boy’s governess, Madame de Ventadour, most likely about Cécile’s grandmother’s age, goes in after the boy. Sopping wet, they climb out of the fountain. Cécile rushes to apologize, but the Princess doesn’t seem upset. Madame de Maintenon, however, is glaring at Cécile. She exclaims that if Bretagne is hurt at all, she’ll hold Madame responsible.

Nearby soldiers run off to call for Doctor Fagon. Cécile can see that Bretagne’s forehead is scraped and bumped, but is nothing that “a little rest wouldn’t heal,” to quote her father. But Doctor Fagon comes anyway.

Cécile introduces herself as Cécile Revel. The last name sparks a memory in Doctor Fagon. He explains that there used to be a doctor at the palace of the name Revel, but they sent him off to the Bastille a long while ago.

The Bastille is a prison where criminals and enemies of the King were sent, and oftentimes never heard from again. There’s no way that her father could be the same Doctor Revel.

When Doctor Revel begins to inspect the boy, he immediately asks the doctor not to do a bloodletting on him. Doctor Fagon insists that the regular bloodletting sessions the boy receives are enough to keep him healthy. Cécile has heard of bloodletting, of course. Some doctors believe it can be used to treat ailments and prevent illness. Of course, Cécile’s father doesn’t approve. Cécile is surprised the royal family receives bloodletting often, and for a moment, she’s grateful for her peasant upbringing.

Doctor Fagon rubs a little ointment on the boy’s forehead, and they all stand up to leave. Quickly, Cécile picks up the dog and scurries away, eager to not make casual conversation with the doctor.

 

Endless Etiquette

September is quickly passing Cécile by. She spends the days learning etiquette and manners. But yet, every single day at Versailles is focused on the King. Each day, the public watches the King wake up, get dressed, and bathe. He sees visitors in the Hall of Mirrors during mid-morning. Cécile watches dutifully from her post standing behind Madame. She hears courtiers asking the King if they can join him on his next hunting trip to Marly, or asking for some money to help pay back gambling debts. The King always responds with a curt nod or shake of the head.

After he visits, everybody goes to mass. The King built a chapel inside the palace itself, and the King and the other royals sit in the gallery, while the servants, staff, and courtiers sit or stand on the main level. The masses are often two or three hours long, and Cécile’s legs get sore from standing at the back. Madame always falls asleep during mass, and Cécile can hear her snoring away from her seat up in the gallery.

In the afternoons, Madame and Cécile roam the grounds. One day, Madame takes Cécile to see the Ménagerie. She explains that the King gave it to Marie-Adélaïde when she came to the palace to marry the dauphin’s son; she was about Cécile’s age. The Ménagerie houses many exotic animals like giraffes, elephants, ostriches, lions, and flamingoes. The Ménagerie also provides plenty of room for the animals to graze.

When Cécile asks if they raise the animals for food, Madame explains that they’re purely for entertainment. It amazes Cécile that they have enough resources to keep so many large animals just for… entertainment. She wonders if she’d have become a different person if she had come to the palace at such a young age.

Madame explains that the animals can never leave the Ménagerie, and she understands what it’s like to not be able to leave. Madame sometimes wishes she could leave France and go home to visit Germany, but she’s never allowed to leave. Madame came overseas to marry the King’s brother, who has now passed on. But it is her duty to keep the King company, so she must go wherever the King goes. Cécile knows if she expressed a sentiment like this, she could lose her position. She feels immense pressure to do well and be a good servant, as that would honor her father, Madame, and the Sun King. But she’s starting to know duty as a crushing yoke upon her shoulders.

 

A Season of Rain

Later that day, Cécile works up the courage to ask Madame about Doctor Revel. After briefly getting distracted by complaining how French women never get fresh air or exercise, and how that could prevent sickness, she affirms that she remembers Doctor Revel. She calls him “a man of deep convictions,” who spoke up against practices at court he thought were more hurtful than helpful. She says she admired him for sticking to his beliefs, despite the costs.

As the days pass, the weather gets increasingly dreary. Mildew and mold begins to grow in the walls. Everybody’s moods begin to sour. One day, a letter arrives from the Princess. She explains that Bretagne refuses to study until he can see Stabdille again, and requests he be brought to their chambers immediately. With a roll of her eyes, Madame consents. Apparently the little prince gets everything he asks for.

A young page named Philippe shows Cécile the way. She learns the pages all live above the stables, where they learn to take care of the horses, but also science, history, literature, and mathematics. He hopes to someday be the Master of the Horse.

Cécile comments that there’s nowhere for her to learn. Philippe reminds her that there’s St. Cyr, a school for girls of nobility. Cécile thinks to herself there’s no chance she could ever be admitted there. The most she can hope for is to be under Madame’s care forever.

When they arrive, Cécile immediately takes Stabdille to Bretagne. He picks up the dog and becomes immediately engrossed in playing with him. While Cécile stands and waits, she listens to Marie-Adélaïde and Madame de Maintenon gossiping.

At first, they talk about a woman who eats like a glutton. But, they soon refocus on talking about Doctor Revel. Cécile cannot help but listen to them.

And then suddenly, they turn to Cécile! “Where did your father learn his medical training that allowed him to help Madame when she took her fall last summer?” Cécile replies she doesn’t know. The women continue with their gossip, saying how the Doctor Revel had to be sent away. They look back at Cécile expectantly.

She responds that her father is at home, not in prison. Madame de Maintenon responds that Doctor Revel only served eighteen months at the Bastille, before he was released, and never heard from again.

The pieces began to fit together for Cécile. Her father knew of court, he had spoken of it. And it’s quite possible that he is the disgraced doctor, who settled in Rileaux after being released. It would not surprise Cécile to imagine her father speaking his mind and getting into trouble. But she wouldn’t let his mistakes be her undoing.

“My father is a peasant, nothing more.” But as Cécile says the words, she feels a hollow emptiness in her stomach.

But Madame de Maintenon nods with approval. If Cécile had been that man’s daughter, they’d fear her mind was tainted by wrong thinking.

 

The Letter

Time continues to creep by, and by late November, there’s a brushing of snow on the ground. One evening, after a cool, empty walk through the grounds, Cécile is attending to the dogs while Madame and Françoise are out when Cécile hears a scratching on the door.

Philippe enters. He brings a letter, which is addressed to Cécile. It had been read and clumsily resealed. He stands patiently while Cécile opens and reads it. It is not from her father, but from a priest in her village.

The letter explains that Cécile’s father had passed away from smallpox. He was given last rites at the end, and buried in the local cemetery. Cécile pushes Philippe away, and her heart begins to feel empty. She wonders if he would’ve survived if she had been there to take care of him. Thinking of him on his deathbed reminds Cécile of her mother’s death, and all of the grief begins to pile up on her soul. She feels herself tumbling over the edge of a cliff and spiraling into darkness. She’ll never be able to ask him questions, or discover answers, or thank him for teaching her how to read and write.

Soon, Françoise and Madame return. The dogs scurry to their places by Madame’s desk. Soon, they notice Cécile is upset. When they read Cécile’s letter, they pull her into a sorrowful hug.

 

Doctor Revel, My Father

The next day after Mass, Cécile throws herself upon her small bed while Madame sits down to write a letter. Cécile wishes sleep would come over her, but thoughts of her father fill her head. Suddenly, Cécile cannot wait anymore. “Madame, please tell me the truth about my father.”

Madame slowly turns to face Cécile. After confirming Cécile wishes to know the truth, she whispers for Cécile to come close.

It is true, Cécile’s father is Doctor Revel. She recognized him that summer day she had fallen.

Madame remembers what led to Doctor Revel’s banishment. They were at Marly. She was feeling ill, but her husband was doing just fine. And then suddenly, he got sick. Doctor Fagon performed two rounds of bloodletting, and then fed him more liquids. But he only got worse. When Doctor Fagon called for a third round of bloodletting, Doctor Revel stood in his way. He exclaimed that the bloodletting was killing the man! Doctor Fagon ordered Cécile’s father to be silent, but he refused. He stood in between the patient and the doctor, until he eventually picked up the doctor’s knife and threw it across the room.

After that, Madame was removed from the room. The next day, she learned her husband had died, and Doctor Revel was banished to the Bastille. She never saw him again until ten years later, when she took a tumble from her horse.

Cécile realizes something. She is twelve. But if her father was banished only ten years ago, that means she wasn’t born in Rileaux, but at court!

Madame confirms she had met Cécile’s mother, just once. She was of a noble family that soon fell into financial disgrace. And with all of this new information, Cécile begins to cry.

 

The Coming Ball

Since Cécile learned the truth about her parents, time moves even slower than it did before. But one day, Madame learns that Cécile has the uncanny ability to learn a word, and remember its spelling. Madame explains she’d like Cécile to proofread all of her outgoing letters to check for spelling errors from that point onward. Cécile’s job wouldn’t be to comment on the letters’ contents, and she must respect Madame’s privacy.

Cécile understands. From Madame’s letters, she learns a lot about court, the King, and operas, plays and concerts. Madame writes of the hungry in the streets of Paris, and the war France is having with Germany. Madame references entire German villages that had been burned to bits. She learned that despite her lavish life at the palace, Madame didn’t own very much. Since her husband died, she was completely dependent on the King’s favor. Françoise, as first lady-in-waiting, owned all of Madame’s gowns and dresses. The first chambermaid owned all of the linens, petticoats, and nightgowns. All Madame owns is her writing implements and her dogs.

One evening, while Cécile was reading one of Madame’s letters alone, she heard a familiar scratching at the door. She opened it to find Philippe standing outside. In the past couple of months, he’d grown two inches. He exclaims he has good news. The war with Germany will be ending by the end of the month! And in celebration of the coming peace, the Princess Marie-Adélaïde and the King are making plans to have a grand Christmas ball. It’ll be a celebration for the whole court.

 

Royal Sled Race

True to Philippe’s words, the King has ordered every member of court to have new clothing made and worn to the Christmas ball. Even Cécile! Madame orders a new powder blue dress to be made for Cécile—something to bring a smile back to Cécile’s face. It’s true; in the last several weeks, Cécile had hardly smiled.

But then, something else exciting happens… the King announces the ice safe for sled racing! The day of the sled race, everybody is gathered outside wearing their warmest clothing, and still everybody’s noses are red. Bretagne will be racing alongside all of the other children. Cécile learns all of the children are descendants of the King, although not all were by his first and second wives.

Bretagne has the nicest sleigh. It had a blue velvet seat, atop a carved turtle. Cécile has grown fond of the boy, and hopes he wins. Looking around, Cécile realizes everybody there is for the nobility’s benefit, so they have an audience for whatever it is they want. Cécile sometimes feels herself like she is in between two worlds, not quite nobility, but also not a peasant. She feels like each day she grows a little bit more invisible, slowly growing distant from her true self.

A gunshot breaks Cécile out of her thoughts. And the race is off! The sleds race along the length of the canal, and then turn around and make their way back. Suddenly, there’s a moan from farther along. Cécile notices a little boy laying face down in the snow—his sled had toppled over. It’s Bretagne!

Madame de Ventadour rushes down to him, followed by Cécile and the dogs. Cécile can only think of the boy’s comfort and safety. When his governess reaches him, he is smiling and exclaiming how much fun he had! Suddenly, a pair of rough hands grab Cécile from the behind.

A soldier has grabbed Cécile. He explains it is his job to protect the Bourgogne family, and Cécile is not one of their servants. Cécile explains she is a friend of the boy, and only cares for his comfort. Cécile looks around for a familiar face: Madame, Françoise, or the Princess. But nobody is there.

The servant doesn’t believe Cécile. But he does remember her from the day at the fountain. He says clearly, Cécile still hasn’t learned her place at court. He orders her to follow him inside.

 

The Grand Ball

That afternoon, Madame frees Cécile from the senior officer’s probing. But, because Cécile rushed out after a royal family member without an invitation, she has been banned from attending the Grand Ball. When they get back to Madame’s chambers, she explains to Cécile that she knows the rules must be difficult to learn. But it’s imperative that Cécile learns her place and watches her actions.

When Cécile first arrived at court, Madame de Maintenon had asked her staff to keep an extra close eye on Cécile, both because of her unknown background, but also because she thought it was possible Cécile was a spy from Germany. So long for peace between the French and the Germans.

Cécile understands. She is determined to learn her place so she doesn’t dishonor Madame and find herself with nowhere to go. She thinks back to the hungry woman on the side of the road as they traveled to Versailles. Cécile glances over at the finished gown hanging in the closet. It had just been delivered that day. She wants to not be disappointed that she won’t be able to attend the Grand Ball, but she can’t help it… she would’ve enjoyed wearing the fine dress and seeing Philippe.

Soon, it is the night of the Grand Ball. There is a special evening Mass in celebration of Christmas, and everybody is antsy. The priest drones on and on. Finally, when he is done, everybody goes into the Grand Ball. Everybody… except Cécile, who retires to Madame’s chambers, all dressed up in her new powder blue gown. She lays on the bed, daydreaming of having the magical powers to turn Stabdille into a charming prince and whisking him around the dance floor.

And then, she hears scratching at the door. She recognizes the scratches as belonging to Philippe. He says Bretagne refuses to go to sleep until he gets to dance with Cécile. He went all the way to the top, asking the King to allow Cécile to come. The entire royal family, including Madame de Maintenon, is in such a fine mood, they would like to invite Cécile to join them!

Cécile is so thrilled. The two of them leash up the dogs and make their way to the ballroom. On their way, Philippe mentions how beautiful Cécile looks in her new dress. She is flattered by his flirtations.

In the ballroom, the room is filled white wigs, sparkly dresses, and colorful waistcoats. Everybody is dancing the minuet. The royal family, including Bretagne and Anjou, are sitting on colorful cushions by the Princess’s feet. They stand up immediately when Cécile comes near. But before Cécile goes to dance with Bretagne, Madame calls her over.

She explains that for the dance only, Cécile should wear the finest accessories. Madame gives her two pearl bracelets and two pearl strands to wear, along with a white ostrich feather fan. Cécile is awestruck.

As Bretagne and Cécile begin their dance, she sees Philippe standing on the sidelines, holding the dogs, and she smiles at him.

After their dance concludes, Cécile is called over to the Princess. The Princess smiles, and says she is so happy the boys are so taken with Cécile. The boys have numerous nursemaids and their governess, and yet they both asked to see Cécile. But suddenly, the Princess grabs her face in pain. Cécile’s head races, trying to think of what her father would do if somebody were poisoned.

Bourgogne grasps his wife’s shoulders, and tells Cécile that she’ll be fine. She has toothaches regularly, and they cause her much pain. And yet, his wife is still a wonderfully kind and generous woman, and an inspiration for all of France. Cécile apologizes for the Princess’s pain, and curtsies and leaves.

She takes the dogs, and makes her way back to her chambers. She is thrilled. The war with Germany is going to end soon, she is safe with Madame, and she’s grown to care for and become friends with Madame, Françoise, and Philippe. And, she’s won the favor of the future King and Queen and their sons. Cécile could bask in these glorious feelings forever.

 

Marly

Because Cécile is a servant, she often overhears conversations. One night, while they are all at Marly, Cécile hears there was a measles outbreak at Versailles. Over 200 people have already been carried away for burial. The news results in a somber mood for everybody.

The Prince and Princess are whispering about what will happen when the Princess dies. Apparently, an astrologer from Turin, Italy, predicted she would die by the time she reaches twenty-seven. The Prince reassures her that if she did die, which she won’t, but if she did, he’d follow her to the grave. Cécile hopes this astrologer’s prediction will not come true.

They return to Versailles in the first week of February. Everything carries on as normal. One day, Cécile is playing with the puppies and the boys when a man comes up to her. He says he brings a gift from the Duc de Noailles: a new snuffbox. It should go to the Princess. Cécile gets up and offers it to the Princess. She wets her finger, dips it in the snuffbox, and smells. She smiles and sets it down on her dressing table.

Later that evening, as they are climbing into bed, Madame asks if Cécile has heard that Marie-Adélaïde has fallen ill. Cécile immediately thinks of the new snuffbox. Perhaps it was poisoned! Madame mentions she ate some of her own food, and her jaw was ailing her. But yet, when she asked for her new snuffbox, it was nowhere to be found.

That evening, Cécile prays for Marie-Adélaïde, and for France. She prays herself to sleep.

 

Nightfall at Versailles

Four days later, Princess Marie-Adélaïde is still not better. She’s been bled several times, given My Lady Kent powder, and placed in warm baths. Finally, the priest gives her last rites.

She’s placed into her bed, where the public can come through to see her one last time. Cécile cannot imagine what it would be like to be a Princess. Giving birth to her children in front of an audience, and then dying in front of an audience, too. Eventually, Cécile must leave to get back to the dogs.

That night, the word spreads through the palace: the Princess has died. Madame and Cécile pack their bags to leave for Marly the next morning.

They stand waiting for the carriages the next morning. They all see the King, grief stricken over the loss of the Princess. She brought him such joy, and now she is gone. Madame tells Cécile that she reminds her of the Princess, for she has the same spring in her step. The Princess, after all, was only twelve when she came to Versailles, and was married at fourteen.

At Marly, Cécile patiently reads Madame’s letters, which are now filled with grief as she tells everybody about the Princess. Madame blames the court’s doctors for killing the Princess. Cécile wonders if her father were there, if the Princess still would’ve died.

And then one day, Cécile reads the worst letter yet. The Prince has died as well. Madame writes that this is a horrible loss for the entire kingdom, as the Prince was virtuous and just. He was charitable, good, and never harmed anybody. The sadness at Marly is indescribable.

 

Rumors of Poison

The next morning, Philippe scratches at Cécile’s door. He tells her that her presence has been requested by Madame de Maintenon. She leashes the dogs, and walks side by side with Philippe to Madame de Maintenon.

When she enters the door, she sees Madame de Maintenon, the King, Madame, Doctor Fagon, and two other doctors. Doctor Fagon approaches Cécile and asks if she recalls a silver snuffbox given to the Princess by Duc de Noailles.

Cécile confirms she did, and she did give it to the Princess, as the Duc de Noailles requested.

Doctor Fagon responds that it’s possible she poisoned the Princess through the snuffbox! Cécile’s eyes widen, and a drip of sweat begins to fall down her back. She exclaims she could never poison the dear Princess.

One of the other doctors, Doctor Maréchal, says it is possible the Prince and Princess died of other illness or fevers, not poison. Doctor Fagon does not agree, and they begin to argue. They both look toward the King to see what he thinks.

Cécile is surprised to see him quietly sobbing. He turns to Cécile, and asks again if she could have possibly poisoned the Princess. Tears well in Cécile’s eyes, and she shakes her head. The King believes her, and responds “For the good of the throne, for the good of France, we will put this behind us.”

All the way back to her chambers, Cécile thinks of the King. Nobody in the palace can hide their sorrows, though not everyone weeps in public, the sadness seeps through the halls like its own fever running rampant.

 

No Safe Place

The next day, Philippe scratches again at the door. When Cécile answers it, Philippe calls her Rosebud and kisses her right on the lips! Cécile can feel the blood rush to her cheeks; what if someone saw! Philippe explains the boys have returned from Meudon, and are requesting for Cécile and Stabdille.

They proceed to the boys’ chambers. Madame de Ventadour is there, with the boys, who are weeping and playing quietly. They don’t seem interested in playing with Cécile or Stabdille. Cécile understands they are not in the right emotional state to play as normal.

Cécile takes some blankets and pillows, and makes a little fort by the windows. Eventually, Bretagne and Anjou come to sit down next to them. Immediately, she can feel Anjou is hot with a fever. Cécile reads quietly with the boys until they drift off to sleep.

Then, she calls over Madame de Ventadour to point out the patchy redness on Bretagne’s face and the heat of Anjou’s fever. Cécile can see the worry and concern in the faces of the staff members standing around the room.

 

When Sparrows Fall

Within the hour, the King is alerted, and they bring in priests to perform a rushed baptism of the boys. They both are so weak they cannot stand on their own two feet, and need to be held by nursemaids. During the baptism, they are both renamed “Louis,” as Sons of the Blood of France.

After the baptism, the Doctors begin to perform care. They begin with Bretagne, who seems to be weakest. They lay him down in his bed, and he looks so small and frail. Cécile hears him beg for them not to bleed him, but Doctor Fagon is insistent.

Cécile knows they cannot allow the Doctors to perform care on poor Anjou. These boys were not poisoned, which means the Doctors will try any remedy possible to rid the boys of infections. If the Doctors get their hands on Anjou, they may very well kill him. Madame de Ventadour agrees with Cécile in this. She motions for about half the nursemaids to follow her and Cécile into a bathroom to the side of the nursery.

Once inside, Cécile bolts the door shut. She sits down in front of it, and they place Anjou in her arms. With his fever burning, they undress the boy to a silk shift, and he slowly drifts to sleep. Cécile knows she could get sick, too, but her own health is the furthest thing from her mind.

Outside the door, there’s yells and wailing. “Noooo! Bretagne is dead!” Cécile can feel her heart drop in her chest. She would’ve given her life for the dear boy to live. Without a minute passing, they hear Doctor Fagon’s thunderous voice from the other side of the door. “Where is he? What’s going on in there? Is Anjou in there?”

Slowly, Madame de Ventadour responds that yes, he is, and that he is receiving good care. Despite Doctor Fagon’s demands that they release the door bolts, the nursemaids, Cécile, and Madame de Ventadour hold their position steady and refuse to let the Doctors inside. And there, they remain the rest of the night.

 

Sleeping Child

As the night wears on, everybody starts to drift to sleep. Only Cécile and Madame de Ventadour, who paces the room, remain awake. Then, Cécile notices that Anjou’s breathing becomes less intense and less labored. The red spots on his cheeks fade to light pink. Only when Cécile is sure, she calls Madame de Ventadour over to inspect his receding fever. When they are both sure Anjou will survive, they open the door.

Upon return to Versailles, the King keeps the palace open for anybody who wishes to visit the bodies of the Prince, Princess, and little Bretagne. Cécile stands in line for an endless time to wait because the lines are so long. The crowds are so big that carpenters must construct barriers to protect the bodies.

After three days pass, a long procession is formed to escort the three coffins to the cathedral of Saint-Denis in Paris. French and Swiss guards fill the courtyard with a mournful, muffled drumbeat. Candles, carried by footmen, soldiers, and guards on horseback, light the way. The coffins are placed in a towering coach draped in black and decorated with the wreathed coat of arms. The scene is very tragic, and inside, Cécile feels as black as the night. The only glimmering light is the thought that she helped to save little, frail Anjou.

 

Beyond Gilded Gates

After the funeral procession, time goes on. The days pass by. As the days pass, Cécile becomes even more relieved that she, Madame de Ventadour, the nursemaids, and Philippe never got sick from the disease. Every day, Philippe comes to announce that Madame de Ventadour requests Cécile and Stabdille’s presence. Soon, he begins to figure out that his brother and parents are gone. He’s not yet old enough to understand where they are, and that they aren’t coming back, but he knows enough to know that one day, he’ll be reunited with them in Heaven.

Nearly a month passes until she hears a scratch at the door. It’s early morning, and the scratch is unfamiliar. Cécile scrambles down from her bed and peers out to see two of the King’s guards standing by the door. “By orders of King Louis XIV, Cécile Revel is summoned to accompany us.” Madame comes to Cécile’s defense, and orders them to at least allow Cécile to get dressed.

Cécile scrambles back inside to pull on her green dress, and picks up Stabdille to give him one last hug. Madame leaves and promises to learn where Cécile is going so that she can write to her. This may be the last time Cécile would ever see Madame, and she is immensely grateful for Madame’s care over the past several months.

With her head held high, Cécile allows herself to be escorted from the palace. The courtyard is empty at this time of the morning, and the April air is chilly. If she’s thrown out on the streets, she knows she’ll quickly have to find a job somewhere so she can earn money for food and shelter, otherwise she’ll perish.

They lead her to a line of carriages, and knock on the door of the only one with a driver. She hears a woman’s voice from inside. Cécile is directed inside. When her eyes adjust to the dim lighting, she’s surprised to see Madame de Maintenon, wearing her typical black.

Madame de Maintenon explains that the King could not let her defiant behavior go unpunished. Madame de Ventadour and the nursemaids would also be punished, but Anjou needs his governess and nursemaids. However, given that Cécile was already a suspect, and her position at court is menial, she is expendable. Therefore, she’s being punished with banishment from the palace. Cécile is ordered to never return through the gates of Versailles.

Cécile hangs on Madame de Maintenon’s every word, waiting for her to continue. Madame de Maintenon explains how she was once poor, destitute, and orphaned, just like Cécile. She was sent to live with noble relations, and was given clogs for her feet and the task of caring for turkeys. She was ashamed. She managed to marry a wealthy poet who was twenty-six years her senior. She became educated, and when her husband died, she was given the chance to care for a few of the King’s illegitimate children. Eventually, she became closer and closer to the King.

Madame de Maintenon affirms she still believes in the doctors, but yet, Anjou is still alive. And for that, she is grateful to Cécile. And because Madame came to her and pleaded Cécile’s case, Madame de Maintenon would like to offer a new opportunity to Cécile.

Cécile knows begging to Madame de Maintenon would’ve been the last thing Madame would’ve wanted to do. It means so much to Cécile that Madame would stoop so low.

Madame de Maintenon continues, saying that St. Cyr is the first school for girls in all of France. Typically, a girl must have at least four counts of nobility on her father’s side to achieve admittance. This school provides girls more options besides ill-suited marriages and entering the convent. The girls are treated well, and learning is encouraged through kindness, not harsh beatings.

Cécile knows that life at court seemed like a dream, but that was not reality. Most likely, a school would not be perfect either. But it was not a path that was dead-ended. Instead, it branched off into the future in many possible directions. Cécile knows that accepting Madame de Maintenon’s offer is the best choice she has.

And with her acceptance, Madame de Maintenon taps on the coach’s roof, and the carriage creaks forward. As they pass by the gates, Cécile glances out the window one last time at the entrance of the grand palace. She vows to write back to Madame and Philippe and Anjou. Perhaps, she’ll even begin a correspondence with Madame de Maintenon in the future. Cécile doesn’t know whether she feels happy or sad, for there are too many emotions rolling around inside her. But what she does know is that her life is like a tiny boat swept along by a swift current, hopefully taking her to safe harbor.

 

Then and Now: France

Discusses a girl’s life in 1711 France. Topics include:

  • The life and reign of Louis XIV, the “Sun King,” and where he lived
    • He was one of Europe’s most powerful rulers
  • What King Louis XlV would have worn
    • He wore the biggest and curliest wigs, rarest jewels, and delicate lace
    • He favored shoes with high, red heels that showed off the shape of his legs
  • Activities the royal court took part in
  • What a court member would have worn
  • What peasants wore and how they lived
  • Peasants were taxed heavily by the King to pay for his lavish lifestyle, even during famines
  • Schooling for peasants by the Catholic church
    • Few peasants knew how to read or write before school became mandatory in 1698
  • Life in France today
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